An evening of readings and discussion: Heller's friends and colleagues including Christopher Buckley, Robert Gottlieb and Mike Nichols, revisit his classic black comedy set at the end of WWII, one of the most important books about patriotism, honor, the absurdities of war and beauracracy of the twentieth century. The conversation is led by Lesley Stahl. An excerpt is performed by Scott Shepherd (Gatz). "The rock and roll of novels...There's no book like it." (Norman Mailer)

The Relic Master: A Novel

The year is 1517. Dismas is a relic hunter: one who procures "authentic" religious relics for wealthy and influential clients. His two most important patrons are Frederick the Wise, elector of Saxony; and soon-to-be Cardinal Albrecht of Mainz. While Frederick is drawn to the recent writing of Martin Luther, Albrecht pursues the financial and political benefits of religion and seeks to buy a cardinalship through the selling of indulgences.

God Is My Broker

One fateful day, Brother Ty - a failed, alcoholic Wall Street trader who had retreated to a monastery - decided to let God be his broker. He saved his monastery and discovered the Seven and a Half Laws of spiritual and financial growth. Now, for the first time, Brother Ty reveals his secrets and tells you how you can get God to be your broker.

Boomsday: A Novel

Cassandra Devine, a young Washington spin doctor and blogger, suggests that Baby Boomers be given government incentives to kill themselves by age 75. This proposal catches on with citizens outraged about Social Security debt and a senator seeking the youth vote for his presidential bid. With the help of Washington's greatest PR strategist, Cassandra and the senator try to ride the issue of euthanasia to the White House.

Little Green Men

After the success of his highly-acclaimed Thank You for Smoking, Buckley returns to the strange land of Washington D.C. in a millennial comedy of manners about aliens and pundits...and how much they both have in common."

Florence of Arabia

Christopher Buckley's comic thriller takes readers to the Arab land of Matar, where a philandering emir allays his restless wife by allowing her to start a TV network for Arab women. She is joined in this endeavor by a maverick American State Department officer known as Florence, who wants to use the TV network to start a revolution among Islamic women.

But Enough About You: Essays

Christopher Buckley at his best: an extraordinary, wide-ranging selection of essays both hilarious and poignant, irreverent and delightful. In his first book of essays since his 1997 best seller, Wry Martinis, Buckley delivers a rare combination of big ideas and truly fun writing. Listening to these essays is the equivalent of being in the company of a tremendously witty and enlightening companion.

Thank You for Smoking

Nick Naylor, chief spokesman for the Academy of Tobacco Studies is the hero of Christopher Buckley's wickedly funny Thank You for Smoking. Nick likes his job. In the neo-puritanical nineties, it's a challenge to defend the rights of smokers and a privilege to promote their liberty. Sure, it hurts a little when you're compared to Nazi war criminals, but Nick's just doing what it takes to pay the mortgage and put his son through Washington's elite private school St. Euthanasius. Nick can handle the pressure from the anti-smoking zealots, but he's less certain about his new boss, who questions whether Nick is worth $150,000 a year to fight a losing war. Nick seeks inspiration and solace from 2 sympathetic souls who work for the firearms and alcohol lobbies. They call themselves the Merchants of Death, and together, they bemoan their plight and argue over which of them has the most deadly job. Under pressure to produce results, Nick goes on a PR offensive, turning appearances on Oprah and Larry King Live into national events. But Nick's heightened notoriety makes him a nice target for someone who wants to prove just how hazardous smoking can be. If Nick isn't careful, he'll be stubbed out.

Losing Mum and Pup: A Memoir

Just as Calvin Trillin and Joan Didion gave readers solace and insight into the experience of losing a spouse, Christopher Buckley offers consolation, wit, and warmth to those coping with the death of a parent, while telling a unique personal story of life with legends.

Supreme Courtship

President of the United States Donald Vanderdamp is having a hell of a time getting his nominees appointed to the Supreme Court. After one nominee is rejected for insufficiently appreciating To Kill A Mockingbird, the president chooses someone so beloved by voters that the Senate won't have the guts to reject her.

They Eat Puppies, Don't They?: A Novel

In an attempt to gain congressional approval for a top-secret weapons system, Washington lobbyist "Bird" McIntyre teams up with sexy, outspoken neocon Angel Templeton to pit the American public against the Chinese. When Bird fails to uncover an authentic reason to slander the nation, he and Angel put the Washington media machine to work, spreading a rumor that the Chinese secret service is working to assassinate the Dalai Lama.

No Way to Treat a First Lady

One of this country's leading political satirists dangles before us a tantalizing novel whose protagonist has a great deal in common with a recent First Lady. Beth MacIntyre, First Lady of the United States, has been charged with the murder of her husband, a Presidential Lothario of the first water. She is accused of throwing a historic Paul Revere spittoon during a bedroom spat, putting an unfortunately fatal dent in the President's lust-filled head.

Humor has been a mainstay of The New Yorker since the magazine's inception in 1925. Harold Ross, The New Yorker's founding editor, characterized his magazine as "a comic weekly", featuring the work of such writers as Dorothy Parker, James Thurber, S.J. Perelman, A.J. Liebling, and Ring Lardner, among the country's greatest literary humorists.

The New Yorker (Aug. 21, 2006)

"Snake Eyes" by Hendrik Hertzberg; "The Last Drop" by Ben McGrath; "The Vineyard Fracture" by Lauren Collins; "Watching Lebanon" by Seymour Hersh; "Stations of the Mel" by Christopher Buckley; "Blank Monday" by William Finnegan; and "On Duty" by David Denby.

Boomsday: A Novel

Cassandra Devine, a young Washington spin doctor and blogger, suggests that Baby Boomers be given government incentives to kill themselves by age 75. This proposal catches on with citizens outraged about Social Security debt and a senator seeking the youth vote for his presidential bid. With the help of Washington's greatest PR strategist, Cassandra and the senator try to ride the issue of euthanasia to the White House.

No Way to Treat a First Lady

On trial for assassinating her husband, the President of the United States, Beth MacMann hires an old flame from law school as her defense attorney. In this hilarious send-up of both politicos and lawyers, Buckley reestablishes himself as one of today's premiere satirists.

Florence of Arabia

The best-selling author who made mincemeat of political correctness in Thank You for Smoking, conspiracy theories in Little Green Men, and presidential indiscretions No Way to Treat a First Lady now takes on the hottest topic in the entire world, Arab-American relations, in a blistering comic novel sure to offend the few it doesn't delight.

The New Yorker (Nov. 28, 2005)

"Missions" by Samantha Power; "Still Standing" by Jeffrey Toobin; "Shelter and the Storm" by Katherine Boo; "College Essay" by Christopher Buckley; "Land of the Diesel Bear" by John McPhee; "The Spinoff Zone" by Nancy Franklin; and "Boy Wonders" by Anthony Lane.

This is an incredible story. The author, a failed, alcoholic Wall Street trader, had retreated to a monastery. It, too, was failing. Then, one fateful day, Brother Ty decided to let God be his broker--and not only saved the monastery but discovered the 7 1/2 Laws of Spiritual and Financial Growth. Brother Ty's remarkable success has been studied at the nation's leading business schools and scrutinized by Wall Street's greatest minds, but until now the secret to his 7 1/2 Laws of Spiritual and Financial Growth have been available only to a select few.